Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today
The Kia EV9 rides on some impressive bones but looks so handsome it's a stunner inside out.
Kia teased its next all-electric flagship SUV called the EV9 last November as a concept vehicle. A few months later it underwent rigorous final technical testing at Kia’s global Namyang R&D center in Korea and is now all geared up for a world debut in the first quarter of 2023.
In 2021, Kia rocked the automobile world by introducing its first all-electric car, the 5-seater EV6 crossover SUV. Among many other wins for its ground-breaking innovations, the EV6 landed the 2022 Car of the Year in the prestigious Car of the Year (COTY) awards, which is one of the world’s most renowned automotive awards. It was Kia's maiden attempt at shifting its focus toward electrification and it has already paid dividends so the upcoming 7-seater EV9 SUV is happy to follow in its footsteps.
Just like the EV6, the EV9 comes designed and engineered to showcase Kia’s new brand and design philosophy for all future vehicles called “Opposites United.” Thus, this upcoming EV9 comes based on Hyundai Motor Group’s revolutionary Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that underpins the EV6 as well.
There are 11 new electric vehicles in Kia’s pipeline that’ll be up for sale by 2026 but let’s look at the second-born EV9 which is a design masterpiece.
As a flagship model, the upcoming EV9 SUV will be the product of Kia’s highly-revered new design language called “Opposites United.” There are five key design pillars of “Opposites United” that are ‘Bold for Nature’, ‘Joy for Reason’, ‘Power to Progress’, ‘Technology for Life’, and ‘Tension for Serenity.’
While the names sound complicated, they are a tad self-explanatory as well. 'Joy for Reason' harnessed novelty and imagination into something tangible and delightful, while 'Bold for Nature' counterplays the interaction between humankind and the natural environment. Thus, the car has both beauty and form inspired by nature, protecting nature as well. 'Power to Progress' is all about innovation and harnessing better and cleaner power, in a creative way. ‘Technology for Life’ is all about bettering the interaction between humans and machines, and by doing so, reducing carbon footprint. Finally, ‘Tension for Serenity’ glorifies how opposing forces can work together in harmony and lead to greater technological and design advancements.
This is all that the EV9 embodies.
RELATED: The Kia EV9 Electric SUV Will Set The Tone For Future EVs
Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) is not new to the electric car bazaar as the 2022 Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Genesis GV60 already use it. It’s essentially a dedicated skateboard-style battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform which means that the wheels hug the corners leaving the floor pan for batteries.
This also means you get a roomy cabin as expansive wheelbase keeps the front and rear overhangs shorter, thus reducing exterior dimensions. This lowers the center of gravity while making way for a big flat floor and so will open up a large expanse of space for accommodating the rear seat passengers and luggage.
Dubbed as a zero-emissions alternative to its cousin Kia Telluride, the upcoming EV9 will be Kia’s largest electric vehicle with up to seven seats on a generous, flexible three-row arrangement. Kia plans to phase out the use of animal leather in all cars in the future. So the forthcoming EV9, like the EV6, also features a wide range of eco-friendly materials throughout like recycled plastic bottles, wool fibers, fishing nets that go into the flooring, and even vegan leather.
True to its 2021 concept form, the 2024 Kia EV9 measures 194 inches in length, 81 inches in width, 70 inches in height, and will have a wheelbase of 122 inches. Kia claims that this new electric SUV will deliver a driving range of up to 300 miles and it uses a state-of-the-art ultra-fast charging technology that can replenish energy from 10% to 80% in just about 20-30 minutes. This comes courtesy of the EV9’s 350-kW charger, which adds about 62 miles of range in only six minutes of lightning-fast charging.
RELATED: Why It’s Worth Waiting For The 2024 Kia EV9 Mid-Size SUV
Apart from using a bevy of insinuating features inside out, the 2024 Kia EV9 also features a solar panel built into the hood, retractable roof rails for better aerodynamics, and an interior made from sustainable materials.
Americans love massive SUVs and the fact that Kia is going to use locally made batteries to ensure low cost and supply stability, so the US-made three-row SUV 2024 Kia EV9 could be the electric SUV to watch out for.
Kia is yet to release the pricing for the upcoming EV9 but as electric vehicles typically carry a premium it could be upwards of $50,000.
This new all-electric nameplate is all set to make a world premiere in the first quarter of 2023 as a 2024 model year vehicle and we are itching to take it out for a test run.
Arun Singh Pundir has been a longtime media crackerjack and worked most of his life in sales and marketing. In 2018, he officially flipped and switched sides to the editorial. He lives with his wife, two rascally sons and is a car and motorcycle nut in his free time. Not that he has too much free time. He currently writes news, features, and listicles for HotCars on anything that has any number or kind of wheels. He is also penning pop culture, lifestyle and all things rich for TheRichest. For now, he considers his Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, Suzuki Ciaz, and Royal Enfield Classic 500, the three current flames of his life. His dream is to drive around the world; even if it takes more than eighty days.